Country diary: At this time of year, an ancient urge to forage kicks in | Kate Blincoe
This article explores the seasonal tradition of foraging for wild foods like rosehips, sloes, and sweet chestnuts in the English countryside. It highlights the connection between human history, folklore, and the natural rhythm of the changing seasons.
Why it matters
It reflects a growing cultural interest in sustainable, local food sourcing and reconnecting with ancestral survival practices.
It has been another mast year for sweet chestnuts. Photograph: Kate Blincoe It has been another mast year for sweet chestnuts. Photograph: Kate Blincoe Country diary Autumn Country diary: At this time of year, an ancient urge to forage kicks in Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk: Rosehips, sweet chestnuts, sloes – there’s an order and a rhythm to their gathering, tied to the season and folklore
Prefer the Guardian on Google T he government suggests stockpiling , and while tins and candles might prove useful, a more ancient urge kicks in for me at this time of year. Walking the hedgerows, the colours of jewels entice me, and my pockets fill with rosehips or glossy conkers. It’s ingrained. For a vast stretch of human history, we survived by foraging for food and medicine, even after agriculture became widespread.
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